Finance minister to unveil budget of Tk 6.80 trillion Thursday

Finance minister AHM Mustafa Kamal will unveil a Tk 6.80 trillion national budget for the financial year 2022-2023 in Jatiya Sangsad on Thursday, UNB reports.

The size of the budget will be about 15 per cent of the country's gross domestic product (GDP). GDP is the total monetary value of all the finished goods and services made in a country during a financial year.

This is the country’s 51st budget and the 23rd for the governments formed by the Awami Leagues in five terms. The budget will see special measures of tax exemptions on agriculture, food processing and small sector development, the news agency reported.

Ahead of the budget session, experts have emphasised on having measures to control inflation and stabilise the country's foreign exchange rate, besides steps to ensure food security.

Tajuddin Ahmed presented the first budget as the first finance minister of the post-independence Bangabandhu government in 1972.

In the upcoming budget, the target of GDP growth is set at 7.5 per cent and inflation will be pegged at 5.5 per cent.